Stratford Plan on Hold?

Zilker Park from above. The highlighted area northwest of the park is what PARD wants to turn into a more structured parking space.

Parks and Recreation Department Acting Director Kimberly McNee­ley didn't get what she wanted from the Environmental Commission last Wed., June 6. Rather than endorse her proposal to turn the patch of beaten grass northwest of Zilker Park – a clay-capped landfill the city tried to beautify at least to some extent before ultimately converting it into an ad hoc parking lot and staging area for events like the ACL Festival and Trail of Lights – into a more formal parking lot and staging area ("Zilker Park: Paved Paradise, or Vice Versa," June 1), the body balked, telling McNeeley they've got some questions they'd like answered. Those questions will go to Chuck Lesniak at the Watershed Protection Depart­ment. In the meantime, McNeeley said a determination for the Stratford Drive Redevelopment Project has "not yet been finalized," as she and her staff "continue to evaluate a range of options, among them the prospect of putting the project on hold." The topic was set for discussion at Planning Commission on June 12, but got pulled from its agenda. Based on last week's meeting, it appears it'll next come up at the Environ­ment­al Commission again on June 20.